Health and Wellbeing Clinic for patients with cancer
THE Northern Health and Social Care Trust recently held a Health and Wellbeing Clinic for patients with cancer, their friends and family members.
With improvements in cancer detection and treatment increasing numbers of people are either cured or living much longer with cancer and consequently their needs are changing.
In response to this a programme to transform how cancer follow up care is provided is underway with services being more responsive to individual’s needs.
In addition greater attention is now being paid to ensuring people are well informed about care and support available to them during and after treatment within their locality.
In this case the clinic was designed specifically for patients who had treatment for breast cancer.
Patients were provided with information about how to move on after their cancer diagnosis.
There was a series of short talks from health professionals, covering dietary advice, taking exercise, managing fatigue and the impact of cancer on the person and their family.
In addition Isabel Kerr spoke as a patient representative, giving the perspective from someone who has come through the treatment process.
Isabel said: “[This] event was a good opportunity to ask questions of professionals and find a wealth of information in one place.
“I think it is great for patients to get the opportunity to meet with one another; it is helpful to know you are not going through things alone.”
Dr Moyra Mills, Macmillan Transforming Cancer Follow-Up Project Manager, said: “I am pleased by the success of this first event for patients with breast cancer.
“We hope to roll out the programme for patients of other cancers types in the coming months.”
More information about services available for people affected by cancer can be found at www.survivorship.cancerni.net
The website provides information on a range of services both clinical and non-clinical, which can help people with their various needs, be they their physical, emotional, social or financial.
Users can easily search for local services by inputting their own postcode or looking for services in the Northern Trust area.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Antrim
Thursday 20 June 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: West
